How To Travel & Save Money At The Same Time!

And no, you don’t need a travel agent, you just need YOU.

I remember growing up, my mom would always make us start a holiday kitty, essentially that was a little treasury box which we would put aside birthday money, religious holiday money and chores money safely therein, and at the end of the year or every second year, we would use that as our spending money on an international holiday. While I thought it was corrupt and cheap of my mom to make us use our own money on toys and trinkets that we wanted in double the currency, in my adulthood, I appreciate the wisdom of her craft. 

One US dollar used to cost R10 in 2009, in 2025 it is R19 or R17 if we are lucky and the markets drop. Unfortunately, it is a universal currency that can be used in most parts of the world alongside their own currency. So that must mean your vacations are going to cost you hundreds of thousands of rands right? No. It doesn’t have to. 

I was trying to book a honeymoon for my fiancé and I for December, the most wonderful time of the year (and the most expensive.) Close friends and family suggested multiple travel agents to us and after sitting through a couple of quotes, back and fourth, we decided to postpone our honeymoon to next year, just because it was ridiculously over our honeymoon budget. 

We were all sad and jaded at the thought of staying home after our wedding, because like most couples, your honeymoon is the actual ‘wedding event’ that is truly yours. It ignited something in me. Maybe it was the spirit of Christmas fast approaching, or the Michael Bublé albums defrosting that sent me a cold shiver, but something urged me to try to look for plane tickets and accommodation myself. 

And so the journey of becoming my own travel agent began with three sites… 

Booking.com.    Airbnb.    Skyscanner.

My go-to trio!

Now listen, the girls that get it, get it: traveling doesn’t have to mean five-star resorts and Instagram pool floats (unless you want that). Sometimes, it’s about being clever, intentional, and knowing how to play the system better than the system plays you.

Here are the real tips, from one recovering-overspender to another:

1. Skyscanner is your best friend- treat her well!

• When you search flights, don’t just put exact dates. Click “Whole Month” or “Cheapest Month.” This will show you which days are significantly cheaper, spoiler: often Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

• Also, don’t search flights 10 times a day. Airlines see you. They adjust prices according to interest and browsing activity. Either use Incognito Mode (Ctrl+Shift+N), or search on your phone’s data, not Wi-Fi.

2. Booking.com for hotels but filter like your life depends on it!

You want:

• Free cancellation (trust me, life changes.)

• Breakfast included (one less meal to worry about.)

• A rating minimum of 8.2 and up! MOST IMPORTANTLY!

Never underestimate the power of “Location” filters. City center may look more expensive but the hidden taxi fares from “remote-but-cute-and-airy” places? You’ll end up paying more in transport than accommodation.

3. Airbnb is for vibe travel!

If you want:

• A small private pool

• A cute balcony

• A kitchen for midnight pasta

• The feeling of living there instead of visiting…

Airbnb is your girl.

But read reviews like you’re in the CIA.

If there are:

• No reviews → No go.

• Too-good-to-be-true photos → They usually are.

  
  

And always check:

• Host response time

• Wi-Fi speed rating (especially if you’re that person who “might work a little” on holiday)

4. Pay in the destination’s local currency (ONLY ONCE YOU ARRIVE!)

Booking platforms will always try to convert for you (at THEIR rate.) Switch the currency to the country you’re visiting, your bank will usually give you a better rate, or get a global account/card that you can use while you are abroad. It saves your money and you won’t be scammed or cheated. 

5. Make a “Holiday Kitty” but adult edition!

Not cute tins anymore.

Try:

• A separate bank account, or

• A savings pocket you don’t touch

Put in R200 a week. Just R200. By the end of the year: That’s R10,000+. Enough for flights to Bali, Thailand, Mauritius, Türkiye, choose your affordable, rich-in-culture fighter.

The truth is: travel is no longer reserved for the wealthy. It’s reserved for the clever. For the patient. For the girlies who compare prices before checking out. Like my mom always said (with a knowing smirk): “You don’t need more money to travel, you just need to know how to use what you have.” And now, I finally understand that.